Headlight



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

lWPRESGOTT.

lHIIABLIGHT.

No. 517,237. Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. PRESCOTT.

HBADLIGHT.

No.v 517,237. Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT Ormes.

WILLIAM PRESCOTT, OF FORT MADISON, IOWA.

HEADLlcH-.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,237, dated March2'7, 1894.

Application filed May 2,1893. Serial 1510.472721. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Panscorr, of Fort Madison, Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlights, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Under certain circumstances, it becomes desirable or necessary to coverthe light when burning. For instance, in case of a locomotive headlight,if the engine is standing upon asw1tch or siding, it is desirable tocover and hide the light to show the engineer of an approachmg trainthat it is all right for him to go ahead.

The object of my invention is in part to remedy the defects abovereferred to and thlsI accomplish, stated generally, in the followingmanner: I provide the headlight with a shutter or hood, hinged orsecured in any other suitable manner thereto at a point forward..of thelight; the headlight being preferably provlded with mechanism forraising and lowering such shutter as desired. When lowered, the shuttercompletely/hides thelight, and when raised, it not only allows the lightto escape, but directs it down upon the track,

developing the efficiency of the headlight to the highest extent. Toremedy the defects 1nc1dental to the form of the reflector, and to thematerial out of which it has been made, I make my reflector out ofsilvered glass-similar to that used in mirrorsand make it substantiallyin the shape of a foursided pyram1d-the inner end being closed .by aconical cap or piece.

My'invention further has for its object the simplification andimprovement of the headllght in Various other particulars, as Will beJnade apparent from the following descrip- My invention consists,therefore, in the details, combinations and features of construc- ,meansof suitable nuts e.

rial, of any desired form and dimensions, and, except as hereinafterdescribed, is made in the manner heretofore customary. It is provided atthe back with a' door, B, in which is a glazed opening b and a hand holeB', normallycovered byaslidingdoorb. Within the case is placed areflector C, made, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, out of foursuitably shaped pieces of glass of any of the ordinary kinds now incommon use for mirrors; the rear end of the reflector being closed by aconical piece or cap C,which is preferably adapted to slide up and downin guides c', for the purpose hereinafter to be specified.

The oil reservoir, D, is made in two parts, as shown, connected by atube d, a branch d of which passes up through an opening in the bottomplate of the reflector and supports the burner D and the chimney Dz--thelatter passing out through an opening in the top of the reflector asshown.

In my construction of headlight the burner may be lighted by opening thedoor B inserting the hand through this door, and sliding up the conicalcap O-the glazed opening b allowing the operator to look into theinterior of the case. Moreover, the reflector being made out of glass,as above stated,will never tarnish,and therefore all the troubleincident to removing the headlight to re-polish it will be avoided.

` As shown in Fig. 3, the oil reservoir is supported u ponrods E E, thereservoir being provided with hooks d2, shown more particularly in Fig.5. These hooks engage the rods, and the reservoir is supported upon suchrods by When it is desired to withdraw the reservoir, it may be sliddown upon the rods until the branch d has passed beneath the reflector;when, the burner and chimney being removed, the reservoir can be slidout at the back of the case for any desired purpose. To insert it theabove steps are reversed, the reservoir being slid into the case untilthe hooks d2 come into engagement with the rods E, when the reservoircan be raised into its desired position, where it is held by means ofthe nuts c.

To the front of the headlight, I secure in any suitable manner that willpermit of its operation, as hereinafter described, a hood or shutter F.To this hood I preferably secure one or more quadrant shaped arms orracks,

ICQ

G, engaging, as shown, with pinions II, mounted on a shaft h, that isjournaled in and extends across the headlight case, as shown in Fig 4.This shaft carries a beveled gear I-I, which meshes with a similar gearI, on a rod I', that extends back into the cab within convenient reachof the engineer or-fireman, so that as this rod is revolved in onedirection or the other, the hood will be raised or lowered to anydesired point. To cover the space between the upper end of the hood andthe head` light, I prefer to provide a hinged flap J, see Figs. l and 2;Onits lower side (Figi l) the hood F is plated or silvered or otherwisepro vided with a reflecting surface.

From the above construction it results that when the hood is lowered, itcompletely hides the light, and when it is raised into the position4shown in Fig. 2, it forms practically a continuation of the reflector C,and' from its position throws the light downwardtoward the track,concentrating it, and developing to hc] highest extent the efficiency ofthe head- While I have described more or less precise forms it is not myintention to unduly limit myself thereto, since Ii contemplate allproper changesin form, proportions and the substitutionof equivalentmembers. For example, While I have described the hoodas hinged to theheadlight case, and shall use this Word inthel claims, I do not intendto limit myself thereby to the use of a hinged connection; butcontemplate all other means of connecting the hood to the headlight thatwill allow it to operate in the manner described, and similarly, anysuitable mechanism for raising and lowering the hood may be substitutedfor that shown.

I claim- 1. A headlight provided with a hood hinged thereto, the hoodhaving a reflecting surface on the side toward the light, two quadrantalracks and pinions for raising and lowering the hood located one on eachside of the headlight, gear mechanism arranged to operate WILLIAMPRESGOTT.

Witnesses:

GEORGE S. PAYsoN, SAMUEL E. HInBEN.

